328 REPORT— 1869. 



At Tonbridge it is stated that the application of the sewage for irrigating 

 land would be almost impossible, and the local authorities believe aU trials 

 that have been made to apply sewage in this way are failures and a source of 

 dissatisfaction on account of nuisance and expense. Lincoln is also said not 

 to admit of this application of sewage. At Cambridge the subject is under 

 consideration. 



Comparing the extent of land ii-rigated and the population discharging 

 into the sewers at the places above named, it appears that in the case of Bir- 

 mingham there is only -4 of an acre per 1000 of population ; at Edinburgh 

 there is 1'7 acre per 1000 ; at Carlisle, Bedford, and Chorley there is from 3 

 to 3-5 acres ; at Harrow, Reigate, and Chelmsford there is from 5 to 6-6 

 acres ; at Epsom, llugby, and Malvern from 7"5 to 10 acres ; at Tunbridge 

 WeUs, Banbury, and Norwich from 10 to 12 acres per 1000. 



There does not appear to be any provision in most cases for additional 

 land for irrigation except at Carlisle and Norwich. At Chelmsford there is 

 some, but it is too high to be reached ; and at Tunbridge WeUs the purchase 

 of additional land is contemplated. 



At CarHsle, Reigate, Epsom, Inverness, and Tenterden the land selected 

 for irrigation is situated within the district, under control of the local sewer 

 authorities, at a distance of from one-fifth of a mile to half a mile from the 

 centre of the town, and within a quarter of a mile of the outskirts. At 

 Edinburgh, Bedford, Rugby, Chelmsford, Harrow, Skipton, Norwich, Perth, 

 and Bury St. Edmunds, it is outside the district, at a distance of from half a 

 mile (Perth) to 3 miles (Norwich) from the centre of the town, and from half 

 a mile (Bury St. Edmunds, Harrow, Chelmsford, Bedford) to Ij mile (Norwich) 

 beyond the outskirts ; at Birmingham, Chorley, Braintree, Banbury, and 

 Malvern the land is partly within and partly outside the district under the 

 sewer authorities. 



The distance of the irrigated land from the lowest sewer-outlet of the town 

 varies from 100 yards to ujjwards of a mile. In some cases it has been pur- 

 chased, as at Harrow, Reigate, and Tunbridge Wells ; but in most cases it 

 has been leased. Sometimes it is occupied by the sewer authorities, some- 

 times let to a farmer, as shown in the accompanying Table, which shows also 

 the cost of delivery to the land by gravitation or pumping, and other details. 



At most places the application of the sewage to land has been found to 

 exercise a most beneficial influence on the condition of the streams and 

 rivers receiving the drainage of the district. At Epsom there was some 

 damage done to the Hog's Mill River, but no complaint is now made. Even 

 where only the solid portion of the sewage is separated by filtration or preci- 

 pitation, the state of rivers receiving the discharge is to some extent improved. 

 At Northampton an application for an injunction has been made by a mUler 

 resident on the stream. 



Generally speaking no objections appear to have been made to the applica- 

 tion of sewage for irrigation ; and where such objections have been urged, on 

 the ground that the application was offensive and injurious, they do not 

 appear to have been supported by medical authority, and in several instances 

 they have ceased. 



As regards the sanitary condition of these districts, it appears that in most 

 cases the application of sewage for irrigation has not been attended with any 

 apparent change ; but there is said to be a marked improvement at Braintree. 



It is to be understood that, in all cases, the data given in this Report and re- 

 lating to this country, have been obtained from the local sewer authorities, in 

 reply to letters of inquiry sent by the Committee, and that since there has 



